Korean diocese might start hostel for seminarians

KOREA: Chunchon diocese in South Korea is examining the possibility of establishing a boarding school for seminary candidates to counter the decreasing priestly vocation.

We are now gathering opinions about it and referring to the boarding school Daegu archdiocese started some 10 years ago, Father Simon Kim Ju-young, vocation director of Chunchon diocese, told ucanews.com on Jan. 13.

The seminary candidates go to general high school in the city but live at the boarding school where a residing priest educates them about priestly life, Father Kim explained.

Chunchon diocese, with only 24 seminarians, has only received one seminarian since 2009.